Industry News

Taipei-listed bulk carrier Wisdom Marine posted profits of TWD1.22 billion (USD39 million) for the January-July period, an increase of 30.34% on a year ago.
The company’s recorded revenue for the same period was TWD6.2 billion, up 18.11% on a year ago.
Its July revenue stood at TWD931.5 million,

Orient Overseas (International) (OOIL), the parent company of Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), said its profits had risen 32% year on year (y/y) to USD238.6 million in the first six months of 2015, due to lower bunker fuel costs.
Revenues fell 6% y/y to USD3.0 billion during the same period,

A Japanese wartime widow has found final peace in the waters off Darwin, Australia, near where her aircrew husband perished during World War II.

On the eve of the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender the dying wish of Miyoko Kawahara was finally fulfilled on Saturday.

In 1943 her young husband Shinji Kawahara was among the Japanese Navy flight crew flying a reconnaissance mission near Charles Point northwest of Darwin when he was shot down by Spitfire fighters. Both Shinji and his fellow flight crew member flight chief petty officer Tomihiko Tanaka died but their bodies were never recovered.

Before she died on October 11, 2014, Miyoko expressed a wish for her ashes to join her husband’s body at the site of the downed aircraft off the Northern Territory coast.

Supported by the federal and Northern Territory governments and the City of Darwin, the Kawahara family were able to carry out this request.

In a simple ceremony on the waters outside Darwin, Miyoko’s ashes were given to the sea by five family members, led by Noriyo Ito, the daughter of Shinji Kawahara.

“My mother had a difficult life after the war and their marriage was very short,” said 72-year-old Ito, reports ABC New. “I don’t remember anything about my father because I was eight months old when he died.”

Three generations of the family travelled from Tokyo to Darwin to witness the private ceremony.

The Northern Territory’s Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Peter Styles, said the Northern Territory Government was more than happy to join with others to help the Kawahara family’s emotional pilgrimage to Darwin, and the Royal Australian Navy provided the platform for the journey.

“For many Australians now the war is more a subject of interest rather than anger,” Styles said.

“We are firm friends with Japan, and we’re happy to support this request to bring the family peace in their quest.

“The Territory saw more than two years of being on the war’s front line, with air raids carried out until the end of 1943. There was great heartbreak and tragedy and we remember the fallen from both sides.”

A tanker hijacked on Sunday has been found approximately 13 nautical miles off Tanjung Keling, Malaysia.

The crew of the 1,796gt Singapore-registered MT Joaquim are accounted for, says the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

According to the vessel’s ship management company, RTBS Consultants, there were nine crew members onboard at the time of the incident, one Singaporean and eight Indonesians. Two injured crew members, one of them the master, were airlifted to Alor Gajah Hospital in Malacca, Malaysia, for treatment. The men had been hit with blunt objects by the pirates.

MPA is working with the Malaysian authorities to ensure the safety of the other crew members and the vessel. Meanwhile, the vessel’s ship management company is making arrangements to bring the tanker back to Singapore.

The vessel was hijacked at approximately 29 nautical miles north of Pulau Rupat in the Strait of Malacca. At the time of the incident, the vessel was on its way to Pulau Langkawi, Malaysia, from Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia.

The cargo of 3,500 ton of marine gas oil on board the tanker is reported missing.

Orient Overseas (International) (OOIL), the parent company of Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), said its profit had risen 32% year on year (y/y) to USD238.6 million in the first six months of 2015, due to lower bunker fuel costs.
However, revenues fell 6% y/y to USD3 billion during the same period,

As the third anniversary of the entry into force of the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (MLC) approaches, Seafarers’ Rights International (SRI) is embarking on a comprehensive study on the effectiveness of the Convention. The study has been commissioned by the International Transport Workers’ Federation. It will be an in-depth and... Read more →